IX. a Sacrifice of his own, we, muft at prefent S ER M. For first did the High Priest present the you sever. 19. A See Fabnfon's Unbloody Sacrifice, Vol. I. p. 68. which SERM. which is Shed for you, ver. 20. or as the IX. Words ought to be tranflated, This Cup which Un is poured forth for you, is [i. e. represents] 18 * See Knatchbull in loc. my So So that the fixing of his Body, and the fhedding of his moft precious Blood, on the Cross, though feemingly done with the most malicious Intent, was yet in Pursuance of his own holy Will, and in Confequence of his own first Offering himself under the Symbols of Bread and Wine. For in that Action he died and fuffered in Will, as it was upon the Crofs that he died and fuffered in Deed. And this his own most affectionate Prayer, which he used at that Time, evidently fets forth. We have it in the 17th Chapter of St. John: These Words Spake Jefus, and lift up his Eyes to Heaven, and faid,-Father, Father, the Hour is come: Glorify thy Son, that thy Son may also glorify thee: As thou haft given him Power over all Flesh, that he fhould give eternal Life to as many as thou haft given him, John xvii. 1, 2. And then as the High Priest used to pray over the Sacrifice, not only for himself, but alfo for his Houfe, i. e. all the reft of the Priests, and for the whole Body of the Nation; fo doth Jefus proceed to pray moft paffionately for his Apoftles, and for all that should believe on him through their Preaching or Word, ver. 19, 20. for whofe Sakes (faith he) I fanctify myself, i. e. offer myfelf a Victim, SERM. IX. SER M. as many of the venerable Fathers of the IX. Church explained those Words. And having thus freely devoted himself an Offering for Sin, and being also accepted as fuch by his Father, it mattered not much by whofe Hands he was facrificed or flaini Or rather he ought to be flain by those Perfons for whom he died. For the common Sacrifices among the Jews for Trefpaffes and Sins, i. e. those that were offered for fingle Perfons, or private Families, were generally killed by thofe in whofe Behalf they were offered. And when the Priest killed the Sa crifice, the flaying, and offering it were Acts diftinct. The Offering confifted in the Prieft's confecrating it to God, before it was killed, and in properly applying the Blood of it afterwards. In the great Atonement indeed, on the Day of Expiation, the High Prieft was indifpenfably obliged, not only to prefent, but also to kill, the Goat himself: But why fo? Why because it was offered for the whole Body of the People, of which he himself was not only one, but in Things pertaining to God the Chief. For he him Self was compaffed with Infirmity, and by "Reafon hereof, he ought, as for the People, fo alfo for himself, to offer for Sins, Heb. v. 2, 3. And IX. And therefore as the Goat was a Sacrifice for SERM. himself, as well as for all the Nation befides; it was fit it should be flain by himself, as a Sinner, and the Reprefentative of all the Sinners there. But with Jefus it was not fo: He, being holy, harmless, undefiled, made higher than the Heavens, had no need, as: thofe High Priests, to offer up Sacrifice, first for his own Sins, and then for the Peoples; chap. vii. 26, 27. But having presented and devoted himself for the People; leaves it to the People themselves to flay him, to whom by facrifical Rites it belonged. Having therefore performed, in the Prefence of his Apostles, as I have fhewed above, his Office as Prieft, he next comes forth and proceeds as the Victim. And if it was always accounted a happy Omen, if the Sacrifice came to the Altar without Reluctance, willing and free; never certainly was fo great an Affurance given as now; when this VicItim came on, confcibus of what he was going to fuffer, and yet feeking, forwarding, and importuning his Death. For fo we find, that as foon as he had concluded the Prayer of Oblation, I have mentioned before; when Jefus (faith the Evangelift) had finished these words, he then, knowVOL. II. N ing |